. >> president obama arranged a new year's deal to elude the fiscal cliff. republicans and democrats both consented to the deal. now neither party is happy with the outcome. democrats complain that obama caved. because the president's plan allows george w. bush's tax cuts to become permanent. for those making less than $400,000 a year. these democrat critics fear that obama's second term instead of being quote, unquote bold will be quote, unquote cautious as his first term. and on the right, republicans moan and grown and say that -- groan and say that obama is demeaning in the way he deals with house speaker john boehner. hold on, says columnist rockman. we expect too much of obama he says because in the united states, we subscribe to the quote, unquote myth of the imperial presidency. other transformational democratic presidents such as fdr and lbj, rockman says, have substantial democratic majorities in both the senate and in the house to enact their landmark legislation. obama in contrast has had to work with a narrow democratic majority in the senate and with an opposition party, the

making less than $400,000 a year. these democrat critics fear that obama's second term instead of being quote, unquote bold will be quote, unquote cautious as his first term. and on the right, republicans moan and grown and say that -- groan and say that obama is demeaning in the way he deals with house speaker john boehner. hold on, says columnist rockman. we expect too much of obama he says because in the united states, we subscribe to the quote, unquote myth of the imperial presidency. other transformational democratic presidents such as fdr and lbj, rockman says, have substantial democratic majorities in both the senate and in the house to enact their landmark legislation. obama in contrast has had to work with a narrow democratic majority in the senate and with an opposition party, the republicans in control of the house for the two years since january 2011. well, what about ronald reagan? president of the united states two successful four-year terms. on the domestic front, he enacted a major economic recovery package followed by an overhaul of social security. and in his sec

secretary timothy geithner. lew is a democratic veteran of washington, 30 years of service. currently he is president obama's chief of staff. earlier lew served as his budget director, and in that job he raised republican hackles. in fact, jeff sessions of alabama, the ranking republican on the senate budget committee, has already said he will try to block mr. lew's confirmation, notably over a statement lew made two years ago. lew was then omb, office of management and budget director. "our budget will get us over the next several years to the point where we can look the american people in the money th speaking to this, senator sessions had this to say. "to look the american people in the eye and make such a statement remains the most direct and important false assertion during ng my entire t in washington, unquote. >> question is jacob lew a shoe- in for treasury secretary or does president obama have a fight on his hand? >> i don't know if you would call him a shoe-in. he is going to be touched up a bit by the republicans but he is going to be confirmed. does obama have a fight object hi